INDOT said ice, snow and a number of crashes along that section of I-65 necessitated the closure.

One crash, just south of the Jonesville exit, involved multiple vehicles. They included several semi trucks, included a double semi Fed Ex truck. Minor injuries were reported at the crash.

“We had one vehicle actually hit four different times by four different vehicles,” said Indiana State Police Trooper David Owsley. “We had a total of eleven vehicles involved. We had eight different crashes that occurred at this one little spot.”

That one spot was a series of short bridges which had become icy and dangerous.

Visibility was also extremely limited with whiteout conditions in some areas because of blowing and drifting snow. Bartholomew and Jackson counties along the I-65 route have travel watches (orange) in place, meaning only essential travel is allowed. Scott County instituted a travel warning prohibiting all but emergency travel.

Around 10:30 a.m., INDOT opened the northbound lanes. Shortly after that, INDOT opened the southbound lanes between Memphis and Seymour.

Around 1pm, the crash near Jonesville was cleared and the rest of I-65 was reopened in both directions, but continued to urge drivers to take it slow: